White Knight Chronicles 2 is the western
port of this popular Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG) and continues the
saga, a year later in game time from the previous title. Set on a
strange world of sword and sorcery, a battle rages between light and
darkness as players are caught up in this never ending struggle.

Like most JRPGs, players
work for the side of light and this is where you are given control of
the Incorruptus, a giant ancient knight which is controlled by your
avatar to change the tides of war. A small party will also accompany you
on your adventures as you explore this diverse world, meet new
characters, find weaponry and more particularly equipment to assist.

However before you get
the crux of your RPG experience, you first need to create your character
and customise the behemoth of a knight, the incorruptus. Very cool.

FEATURES

Signature
combination of singe player and multiplayer returns allowing players
to share characters from your single player game in multiplayer

2 games in 1! This
game includes all the content from the first game with improved and
enhanced features of the sequel adding up to over 100 hours of
combined gameplay

Character can now
select new skills and spells such as dual wielding weapons to make
characters more customizable

For the first time
ever, create and customize your very own Incorruptus that you can
use in both single and multiplayer modes

If you love titles like
Final Fantasy, than White Knight Chronicles 2 is definitely up your
alley, however just be warned that this game contains classic JRPG
element. This means that you can expect to see epic battles, lengthy
conversations and cinemas that sometime go on for forever. For those
wanting something less intensive, I suggest you look elsewhere because
this game will consume your life once you start playing.

Like the original game,
White Knight Chronicles 2 boasts at least 50 hours of play and has been
designed more as an online game rather than single-player. However for
those that don't want to play the game online, you can still
successfully complete the game without logging on the PlayStation
Network but we'll get to this part a little later.

For those who have played the original game, it is possible to transfer
your characters, equipment and gold from the original title. Given the
intensity of the game, it is a little difficult to play if you have not
played the previous game as the world of White Knight Chronicles is
quite complex as is its gaming mechanics.

However the clever part
of White Knight Chronicles II is that Sony have included the first game
as well, so in essence, you can play the original and then continue with
the second game. It's a good move but if you work and have a life, it
doesn't really mix too well.

One cool aspect of the
original game is that has been slightly tweaked and features the new
battle system of WKC2. The gameplay basically involves a plethora of
missions and side quests as you engage with NPC's and explore this
diverse world. You are awarded points from your battles to customise
your characters and there's plenty of booty (like the Pirate) to be
found.

Battles play a key role
to this JRPG and as you progress, some battles become quite lengthy as
you play the game of healing and fighting. As you fight your way through
the various thugs and bosses of this world, you are awarded action
points which can be used to up the ante of your fighting prowess. Once
you have collected a set amount, this allows your character to transform
into a giant Knight which is needed to take on the larger monsters that
you fight. This kind of reminds of the excellent Voltron series but in
White Knight Chronicles II, its more myth and magic as opposed to
technology. The more action points that you collect, the more powerful
your Voltron... err... White Knight will be.

The new battle system of WKC2 is far smoother and faster than the
original game and giving orders to your characters is far more fluid.
Nothing is more satisfying than chaining your combos together in order
to unleash some devastating attacks on your opponent, especially the
boss battles.

Positions also play a
key role for your party members as well and this can be quite tricky in
getting your characters in the right place. However certain places are
more strategic and can lead to more damage than others (e.g. behind your
enemies). Another highlight in the new battle system is that the players
can now disrupt enemy attacks and when an icon flashes on a particular
part of the enemyís body, you can focus on that area in order to prevent
an attack.

There is a good amount of customisation in the game for your characters
and through skill points, you can fine tune or specialise your character
for a particular occupation in the game. Needless to say, as you do
"level-up" them, the player has access to a plethora of skills to
improve the flow of your battles. Grinding is required to "level-up"
your character and you need to ensure that you have a tank and healer in
your group because without one or the other, you'll soon find out what
the word frustration means and controller rage.

If you need a break from
the single-player game or want to try something different, White Knight
Chronicles II supports a rather clever online mode. By engaging in the
multiplayer mode via the PlayStation Network, you can play with up to 5
other players (2 more than the original game) to embark on a variety of
online quests.

This is a nice break
from the single player mode and best of all, experience points gained
online revert back to the single-player game. You can even customise
your characters hometown through the Georama mechanics of the game which
allows you to tweak your home town and then upload it. By uploading your
home town, others gamers can visit your little piece of the world.

Although itís free to
play the online component of White Knight Chronicles II, there are
certain items that can be purchased from the PlayStation Network if you
want to go beyond the standard. With that said, the online mode is quite
interactive with other players and really enhances the gameplay.

Graphically, White
Knight Chronicles II is a visually impressive game and whereas the first
looked a little dated and lacklustre, the sequel is truly a work of art.
The first thing you will notice about White Knight Chronicles II,
besides the lengthy cinematics that do look nice are the environments
and developers Level-5 have created this truly engaging universe that
comes alive in FULL HD.

It's also the attention
to detail from the trees to the grass and even the skies that mirror the
real-world well but with fantasy elements. Characters are well designed
and have some great texture detail, ensuring that characters are not all
lumped into one basket but there is a considerable amount of variety
here, especially with the heroes and the bosses that they fight. Add in
special effects and some beautiful lighting and this game looks quite
decent. The pre-rendered cinemas is definitely the wow factor here. The
soundtrack has this Final Fantasy feel to it as do all the sound effects
and voice acting. With that said, WKC2 comes together rather well.

Final Thoughts?

In conclusion, if you're after a very lengthy JRPG than this is the game
for you. After the relatively poor performance of the latest Final
Fantasy game, White Knight Chronicles II is a clever game but doesn't
try to be too clever to Westernise this game too much. Nonetheless it is
a rather complex game and with at least 50 hours of play, you'll be
fighting in this world for a considerable amount of time. It's
definitely great value for money and if you love JRPG, than you really
should check this out and don't listen to the naysayers!